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..........             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ..........
..........             £££#@#@#@#@#@£££             ..........
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.......... FROM   NORTH  TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ..........
~......... KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR .........~
»~........ THOUSAND METERS. FROM  TOPSOIL TO STONE, ........~»
†»~....... A  FOOT OR TWO.  NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO .......~»†
£†»~......             DUST CAN LINGER.             ......~»†£
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£££†»~.... HERE  IS EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY  LOW ....~»†£££
@£££†»~... PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ...~»†£££@
#@£££†»~.. EARTH IS  BARE  IN PATCHES  AS  LARGE AS ..~»†£££@#
##@£££†»~.               YOU AND ME.                .~»†£££@##
#@£££†»~..                                          ..~»†£££@#
@£££†»~... CROSS  IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN,  OR DON'T ...~»†£££@
£££†»~....          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ....~»†£££
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